CHAPTER

10
Sleep, Dreams, and Circadian
Rhythms
© 2019, University of Cyberjaya. Please do not reproduce, redistribute or share without the prior express permission of the author.
Sleep, Dreams, and Circadian
Rhythms

© 2019, University of Cyberjaya. Please do not reproduce, redistribute or share without the prior express permission of the author.
 Topic and Structure of the
lesson
• Stages of sleep, REM sleep and
dreams
• Why do we sleep (Circadian rhythms)
• Effect of sleep deprivation
• Sleep disorders

© 2019, University of Cyberjaya. Please do not reproduce, redistribute or share without the prior express permission of the author.
SLEEP
PHYSIOLOGY
 REM SLEEP
• increased cerebral activity, erratic EEG (beta and theta
waves)
• rapid eye movements
• loss of core muscle tone (paralysis)
• autonomic arousal (elevated hr, bp, and respiration)
• narrative dreams with much visual imagery

 initially referred to as “PARADOXICAL

SLEEP”
ISN’T SLEEP ALL THE
SAM E?
 No, the use of the EEG shows variations in brain waves
which determine different stages of sleep.
 There are 5 Stages of sleep
• (4) Non REM and (1) REM
 During an 8 hour period, people typically progress through all 5 full
cycles,
• Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes
 MEASURING SLEEP
CHANGES
 Electroencephalograph (EEG): Brain-wave machine;
amplifies and records electrical activity in the brain
 Beta waves: Small, fast waves associated with alertness
and wakefulness
 Alpha waves: Large, slow waves associated with relaxation and
falling asleep
Fig. 6-5b, p. 186
 STATES OF SLEEP
A. Rapid Eye Movements (REM):
• This stage of sleep is characterized by high-
frequency, low-amplitude brain wave activity
• Occursonly after people go through first 4
stages of NREM
• REM is difficult to distinguish from being awake on
the basis of physiological measures
• During REM sleep breathing and heart rate increase
• The same rate as if we were awake
• Associated with dreaming; sleep is very light.
• Body is very still during REM sleep.
• Lack of muscle paralysis during REM sleep is called
REM Behavioral Disorder.
FUNCTION OF REM
SLEEP
 Memory storage- REM helps consolidate memories
 Brain areas that are active during the learning of the task become
active again during sleep
 Performance on tasks usually improves if you test someone a day after
they’ve learned the task
• As long as they get at least 6 hours of sleep
 REM dreams tend to be longer, more vivid, and involve more detail and
movement.
• However, dreaming occurs during all sleep stages.
 Paralysis of muscles occurs so we cannot act out our dreams.
 Lack of muscle paralysis during REM sleep is called REM
Behavioral Disorder.
 STATES OF SLEEP
B. Non-REM ((non-rapid eye movement):
• Occurs during stages 1, 2, 3, and 4; no rapid eye movement occurs.
• Seems to help us recover from daily fatigue.
• Slower EEG activity occurs
• The heart rate and respiration are slower during NREM
• When awake, brain waves show a high frequency, low
amplitude pattern
• NREM brain wavesare of low amplitude and are fast, with
mixed frequencies
• Brain activity changes with each stage
• People become more difficult to awaken as they progress through
the four stages of NREM sleep.
Awake

Neural activity unsynchronized

Start of longer, slower brain

a ctivity (beginning to
synchronize)

Neural activity more

synchronized (delta
waves)

Neural activity highly

synchronized (delta
waves)
SLEEP
PHYSIOLOGY
SLEEP STAGES
Stage 1: alpha and theta waves
(initial) Stage 2: K complexes, sleep
spindles Stage 3: 20-50% delta
(SWS)
Stage 4: > 50% delta
(SWS) REM (emergent
stage 1)
 NON-REM
•SLEEP
Sleepers take about 30 to 40 minutes to go through the four stages of
NREM sleep

Fall asleep

Non-REM Stage 1

Non-REM Stage 2

Non-REM Stage 3

Non-REM Stage 4
 STAGE 1
 You will not know the exact moment when you enter Stage 1 of sleep.
 It lasts only 5-10 minutes.
 You are easily awaken from this stage and will probably insist that you were never
asleep.
 Small, irregular waves produced in light sleep (people may or may not say they
were asleep)
• Hypnic Jerk: Reflex muscle twitch throughout body that may occur in
Stage 1
 You may report dreamlike sensations of falling upon being waken up.
 Eyelids slowly open and close and eyeballs rolls upward and downward from time to
time
 STAGE 2
 Deeper sleep; sleep spindles (bursts of distinctive brain-wave activity) and K-complexs appear
 Your brain waves slow down even more.
 Sleep spindles:
• short burst of waves of 12-14 Hz
• Occurs 2-5 times a minute
• Play a role in consolidation of memories
• Increased number of sleep spindles correlated with increased score in intelligence
test
 K Complexes
• Sudden, sharp waveforms
• Triggered by noises – especially unexpected noises
 The first time you enter this stage it will last about 20 minutes.
 Over the course of the night, you will spend ½ of your sleep in this stage.
 Sleep soundly but if awaken may report that they have not been asleep
 STAGE 3
 Deeper sleep; Delta waves appear; very large and slow
 After about 30 minutes of sleep, your brainwaves slow down a lot.
 Your brainwave cycles are less than 1 cycle per second, compared to 15
cycles per second when you first fall asleep.
 This stage is called slow-wave sleep or delta sleep.
 The first time you are in these rejuvenation stages, it will last about
30 minutes.
 Only loud noises will cause a person to awaken, and when awakened,
the person acts groggy and confused
 STAGES 3 &
4
 Deepest level of normal sleep; almost purely Delta
waves

STAGE 5 - REM
SLEEP
 The previous 4 stages have been part of N-rem, or non-rapid-eye-movement sleep.
 After you reach Stage 4, your brain waves will begin to pick up a little more speed
and strength. You will move back up through Stages 3, 2, and 1 and then enter your
first period of Rem Sleep.
SLEEP
CYCLES
SLEEP PATTERNS
 Percent of SWS vs. REM changes with age
 Young Adult sleep patterns consist of:
• 7-8 hours of 90-110 min. repeating
cycles
• 45-50% of total sleep is stage 2
• 20% of total sleep is REM sleep
• Progressive lengthening of REM
periods
LIFE SPAN CHANGES IN
SLEEP
 Daily sleep rhythms begin ~ 16
weeks.
 Greater % REM in infants and
children.
 REM component decreases with age.
 Total sleep time decreases with age.
SLEEP ACROSS THE
LIFESPAN
SLEEP
FUNCTIONS
(WHY DO WE SLEEP?)
 Restorative Functions
• growth and repair

 Adaptive Functions
• predator avoidance
• energy conservation

 Cognitive Functions
• learning, unlearning,
reorganization
 BIOLOGICAL CLOCK
 Humans and other animals have an internal biological clock called
the
circadian rhythms
 These patterns vary over approximately a 24-hour cycle and
occur even in the absence of normal cues about whether it is day or
night
 Responsible for body functions including:
• Hormone levels
• Sleep and wakefulness
• Blood pressure
• Body temperature
THE BRAIN’S CONTROL
OF
CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS Pineal Gland
 Generated by the suprachiasmatic
nucleus (SCN)
• Regulates the pineal gland’s
secretion
of the hormone – melatonin Hypothalamus
(SCN)
• Increases in melatonin
produce drowsiness
CAN YOUR CLOCK GET OUT OF
WHACK?
 Yes, problems can occur if someone works through the night
and sleeps during the day
 Also experienced with jet lag
• We are awake when out circadian rhythm
cries
“SLEEP!”
• To speed up resetting your biological clock
after a long flight – spend time outdoors
• Bright lights help reset our biological clocks
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
 The longer people go without sleep – the sleepier they get and the worse
their performance becomes
 Sleep-deprivation psychosis: Confusion, delusions,
disorientation, hallucinations that occur because of sleep and
loss
 A fatigued, sleep deprived person may experience:
y
• Impaired concentration diminished productivit
• Tendency to make mistakes
• Irritability
• A depressed immune system
• Greater vulnerability to accidents
SLEEP DEPRIVATION
 Research on total sleep deprivation with humans is not
possible
 However, rats totally deprived of sleep die
• lose inability to regulate body temperature
• lose weight
SLEEP
DISORDERS
What are Sleep
Disorders?

1) Narcolepsy
2) Insomnia
3) Sleep apnea
 1)
NARCOLEPSY
 People who experience sudden, uncontrollable episodes of sleep.
 Fall asleep suddenly and unexpectedly without warning
during waking hours
 Excessive daytime sleepiness
 Narcoleptics often experience loss of muscle tone as well
 May also drop into REM sleep immediately, causing hallucinations
 Likely caused by a central nervous system defect
 2)
 Insomnia involves problems INSOM NIA
in going to sleep or maintaining sleep.
 In other words, insomnia is a difficulty falling asleep or remaining asleep
 Affects about 35 million Americans
 May be related to stress, depression, medication
 10% of the population experience insomnia at sometime and is often associated
with anxiety or depression.
 Can also be caused by noise, temperature, or trying to sleep in a new environment
 People with insomnia may actually sleep as much as norm, but quality of sleep
tends to be poor and don’t feel rested (Dement, 1999).
INSOMNIA
• People with insomnia tend to be listless and tired
during the day, which often leads to the use of
sleep medications.
• Drugs are not a preferred treatment due to a high
link to dependence on sleeping pills and other
drugs.
• Behavioral treatments insomnia include
for
relaxation training, cognitive therapy, and self-
hypnosis.
 3) SLEEP


APNEA
Sleep apnea – a condition that make an individual stops breathing momentarily during sleep
Sleep apnea causes airflow into the lungs stop for at least 15 seconds.
• The sleeper stops breathing, chokes, then wakens briefly. Rather than choking awake, some choke
and die (Skatrud &Pappard, 2004).
 People with this disorder can have as many as 100 episodes per night.
 Affects about 10 to 12 million Americans
 People with sleep apnea get poor-quality sleep and feel extremely sleepy during the day.
 Consequences of Sleep Apnea
 An individual may have:
• Memory loss
• Suffer from severe headaches or work-related accidents.
 Sleep apnea may also lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
 Who’s effected by this sleep disorder?
• This disorder is fairly common, 33% of the population experience symptoms of sleep apnea.
Middle-aged, overweight men are at risk, but even children can have this disorder.
 Can it be treated?
• Several effective therapies have been developed, including minor surgery or the use of a machine
that affects airway pressure.
Q & A Session

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